Burner for pulverized fuel



Aug. 30, 1932 E. J. FRANKLIN BURNER FOR PULVERIZED FUEL Filed Aug. 15, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTQRNEYS.

Aug. 30, 1932 E. J. FRANKLIN BURNER 'FOR FULVERIZED FUEL Filed Aug. 15, 1928 4 Shets-Sheet 2 FL'g. 6

i [NVENTOR Edward J'. BY gaz.,

ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1932 E. J. FRANKLIN BURNER FOR PULVERIZED FUEL Filed Aug. 15, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 30, 1932. E. J. FRANKLIN BURNER FOR PULVERIZED FUEL 4 Sheets-Shet Filed Aug. 15, 1928 Fgio !NVENTOR Patented Aug. 30, 1932 PATENT OFFECE EDWARI) J. FRANKLIN, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH BURNER FOR IPULVERIZED EUEL Application filed August 15, 1928. Serial No. 299342.

This inventon relates to means for burning pulverized fuels, for example solid r'uels such as coal or coke in the state of finedivision, and the objects of the invention are To provide a means whereby an intimate and proper nixtureof air and fuel, more particularly pulverized or powdered fuel, is obtained previous to the admission of the mixture into a furnace or other space proper- 50 ly prepared for the combustion of such mixture, such as a furnace in conjunction with a steam boiler, a reverberatory furnace, such as is used in metallurgieal Operations, a heating furnace, a lime or cement kiln, etc.

To provide in a burner entrance pipe, an expansion chamher, wherein is produced a marked reduetion in the velocity of the air and fuel stream entering therein from a supply pipe, said reduction in velocity, combined with the peculiar shape of such expansion chamber Operating to produce a turbulent condition of the air and fuel particles within i said ehanber, resulting in a more intimate mixture of said air and fuel particles, elimination of stratication, etc.

Te provide in a pulverized fuel burner, a multiplicity of relatively small tubes or ets, through which the mixture of air and fuel is controlled and projected at a relatively low velocity into the combustion chamber. The particular virtue of obtaining relatively low entrance velocity into the comb-ustion space is to reduce the length of fiame travel within the furnace, thereby promoting the use of a smaller furnace Volume for a given fuel burning Capacity, and producing the combustion close to the burner tip. It is understood that the term relatively low velocity must be considered as meaning a velocity lower than that cr^ narily existing in furnaces but greater than the rate of fiame propagation of the particular fuel being used, in order to pre L *vent a fiare back into the burner body and expansion chamber.

To provide a burner with means of regulatng or controllng the amount of fuel and air injected into the combustion space to care for high or low ratings without materially changing the proportions of the fuel mixture or the velocity of njection into the combustion space, thereby maintaining efiicient combustion at any and all ratings. This is aecomplshed by cutting the fuel and air from or admitting the fue and air to a greater or less number of the multiplicty of relatively small tubes or j ets by means of dampers, valves, or gates.

To provide, in a burner arrangenent, a means for introducng and controlling both the primary and the secondary air required for thecombustion of pulverized fuels directly at the burner tip. Said secondary air preferably to be supplied under pressure, although natural draft may be utilized depending upon conditions prevailing at any given installation.

To provide, in a pipe preferably in a vertical position supplyng pulverized fuel to a burner arrangement, a reduced section of conveying Conduit or Venturi-shaped portion, so disposed as to increase the velocity of the enclosed air and fuel stream previous to its entrance into an expansion chamber. A suitably disposed air connection adjacent to said reduced section or Venturi-shaped portion is provided to admit any required amount of secondary air, for the purpose of accelerating the fuel stream within the pipe, thereby creating a more complete mixture of air and fuel particles within the aforementoned expansion chamber previous to injecting the fuel miXture into a combustion chamber.

To provide a burner, particularly adapted for use with reverberatory furnaces, rotary kilns, or other furnaces, such that the propagation of fiame will take place relatively close to the firing end or head of such furnace or kiln, allowing free sweep of the hot gases for the greater portion of the length of said furnace or kiln. u

In contrast to the above, when using other type of burners with the above noted furnaces or kilns the fuel and air mixture is projected at a relatvely high Velocty into the combustion space, resulting in a long flame travel and the consequent propagaton of flame at a considerable distance away from the firng end of the furnace or kiln.

Referrng to the figures ofthe drawings F ig. 1 is a sectional elevation through the burner and supply pipe.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the burner shown in Fig. ,1.

Fig. 3 is a'secton on line 3 3 in Fig. 1, showing the arrangement and operation 'of' i ffor secondary air. The burner or fucl e the fuel nlet controldevice. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the fuel burner tips.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation plane 5-5 in Fig. 4. V

Fig. 6 is a detail showing the application of aser'es'of helicalvanes ap'plied to the eX- along the terior' of a fuel'burner tip.

i ti'on shown in Fig. 6.

Eigl 8 is a sectional elevation showin the' Fig; 7 is a' front'elevation of the construc application "of the herein'after describe fuel bnrnerarrangement. to a 'steam boile` furnace.

' 9 is a front elevation of the furnace and boil'erapplicatmn shown in'Fg. 8. y '^"Figs. 10 and 11 are frontand sectional ele vations respectively, showing the application of the burner arrangement to a reverberatory or heating furnace. i

Eigsil and 13 are front and side elevaf* tions, respectvely showing the applic ationot f the burner'arrangement to a rotary kiln such l *attached to' thetubes 24, as shown in'Figs.

as is used for burning lime, cement, etc.

`; Referring now to the figures, wherein the same numerical reference designates the same part n each of the several figures:

'lThe numeral `1 indicates a fiel supply` pipe connecting to any convenient source' of' i fuel supply, as forinstance in the'casejof usingip ulverized coal, coke, or similar fuel,

a unit'type pulverizer, 2 is aVe'nturi ornozzle shaped portion of the 'fuel supply pipe, so I h `plicaton "of these external and internal .arranged as to produce an increase n t e velo'citylof the fuehstreams and carrier or primaryair'through said pipe portion, and) 'shape the acoeler'ation given the fuel and air j streams is dissipated, resulting in a turbulent condition 'of the air and fuel, which in turn' produces an intmate mixture of air and fuel within the expansion chamber 3. The expansion chamber 3 .extends upwardlyvfronythe 'Venturiinlet and flares'and curves forward,`

; .1y to form a. hub or cowl whoseforwardor i e eppereid iszsubstantially vertical'and the burner .means isattached tothis upper forw ward end of the expansion chamber ;by means,

of the tubes 6, are fixed to the tube plate 4,

in any desir'ed nanner, as for instance by screwng, rollng, or expandng n a manner similar to that used n attaching boiler tubes to tube sheets. 'A burner body 5 is secui-'ed to the tube plate 4 in any suitable manner and is formed with an inlet chamber tubes 6 extend through said chamber 5' and ;into burnersopenings in the front wall of said chamber.

' Each tube G may be so fabricated as to be slightly conical or diverging n shape with its larger' end terminating in a bell mouth section 7,' to' further insure'the ready passage of the' fuel particlesin a' diverging cloud. rather "than a simple cylindrical stream.

,and of supporting* the tube end in its operating position.

The vanes 8 may be so constructed as to be an integral portion of the burner body 5, as shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, or they may be independent members 25,

6 and 7.

e In Fig. 4 is shown an internalhelical vane .member 22'wthin' the tube 6', the 'object of which is to produce a whrling moton to the fuel streams passing through the tube, said 'whirling' motion being in the opposite direction of rotation" from that produced in thesecondary air stream by the vanes 8 or '25. ^It"shou1d beunderstood that the ap- "vanes as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 are not mutually exclusive, as I reserve the privilege of applying `these vanes in any combination with respect to each other.

Fig. 6 shows the application of a straight 'cylindrical tube 24, located in all respects in a position similar to that designated as tube 6. in otherfigures, it being understood that a straight, converging, diverging or anyother form of tube and tube end may be substituted lfor ,the particular form indcated in anyfig .ure. Neither arethe vanes 8, 22 and 25 limitedto the exact forms indicatedin the figures, inasmuch asthehelical angles ofthese vanes may be adjusted as conditions may warrant :in.any. particular case.

Returning to Fig. 1, the burner body 5 may be of any suitable material or convenient shape, as, 'or instance, it may be cylindrical, as shown in Fig. 2; elongated as in Fig. 4; oval, elliptical or rectangular (not shown), as determined by the number and disposition of the fuel tubes 6, and the physical limitations as to space in any given instance.

Opening into the burner 'body 5 a connection 10, to which may be attached a pipe 11, connecting to any convenient source of hot or cold air supply. Air entering through the opening 10 is clesignated as secondary air for combustion andris necessary to make up the usual deficiency in the combustion requirements of the air content of the fuel and air stream furnished `from a pulverizer or other source of fuel supply. This secondary air, furnished preferably under pressure by fans or otherwise, passes out through the' ports 9, adjacent to ends 7 of the fuel tubes 6, thereupon mixing with the air and fuel streams being projected into the furnace from the fuel tubes 6, and producing the proper proportion of 'air and fuel to eflect the mosteficient combustion of the fuel.

As before mentioned, due to the relatively low entrance velocity of fuel into the combustion space, complete combustion will take place relatively close to the burner face, reducing the space in the furnace ordinarily required for a great length of fiame travel, and also eliminating, in certain types of furnaces, the abrasion of the furnace walls opposite the burner location caused by the projection of fuel particles at high velocity across the combustion chamber.

The means for controlling the admission of fuel into the several `fuel jets or tubes 6 are shown in Figs. l and 3, Wherein 13 is a chain means consisting of a damper or valve plate slidably mounted in any convenient manner on the tube plate 4, adjacent to the entrance ends 14 of the tubes 6. Plate 13 is provided with a series of ports lc, so disposed as to register with the tube ends 14. In Fig; 3 the upper damper is shown in the half open position, the center damper is shown in the fully open position, while the lower damper is shown in a completely closed position. It is understood that the number and design of clampers and groups of fuel jets or tubes indicated in Fig. 3 is merely for convenience in illustrating the mechansm and that any desired number or design of dampers and fuel tubes may be installed in any given case. The burner tubes 6 are arranged in horizontal rowsat definite heights, and a damper plate 13 is provided for each horizontal row, said damper plate being located within the miXing chamber 3 and provided with means extendng outside of said chamber, as shown in Figs.

2 and 3, for operation of said damper plates 'from the outside.

The control of secondary air is obtained by means of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, wherein 15 is a Valve plate provided with openings fittingon the respective tubes 6so that said valve plate is slidably mounted upon the fuel tubes 6, and connected by means of the links 16 and levers 17, pivoted at point 18, to the adjusting screw 19, there being, in the form of the invention here shown, a valve plate 15 for each horizontal row of tubes, and the said valve plates constituting closure means, located within the secondary air inlet chamber 5' and having Operating means eX- tending outside of said chamber for convenient operation' thereof. For adjusting the valve plates 15 of the upper rows or groups of tubes the mechanism maybe similar to that just above described or the adjusting means r may be composecl of a shaft 20, extending transversely across the burner body 5, and rotatively mounted therein, carrying at either or both of its ext-ending ends a hand wheel,

lever or other means (not shown) for rotat-w ing the shaft 20. Levers, or arms 21, are fixed to shaft 20 and are. connected to the valve plates 15 by means of suitable links 16. In operation, the valve plates 15 are adjusted with relation to the inboard end of the air port 9, so that the secondary air passing through the air port '9 bears any predetermined relation to the amount of fuel passing through the fuel tube or jet 6, as fixed by the desired adjustment of the fuel dampers 13.

Figs. 8 and 9 show in general theapplication of the hereinbetore described fuel burner arrangement to a stea-m boiler furnace, wherein 41 indicates any type of steam boilerbeing shown for convenience as a cross drum horizontal water tube type; 42 indicates the walls of a furnace of any desired type of Construction; 43 is a fuel pulverizer, adapted for the pulverization and supply of coal, coke, lignite, etc.; 44 is the pipe connecting this pulverizer with the burner 45 of any desired size or shape, substantially as above described. The pipe 46, terminating in connections 47, carries the secondary air to the burner 45, from any convenient source of supw ply. At the lower portion of the furnace is an ash gate-damper arrangement 48, which is very similar' to the one described in my application Serial No. 299341 of even date. Then these gate-dampers are used in connection with the herein described burner apparatus, the openings through the gate-damper 48 should be only enough to allow the entrance of sucient air for cooling the falling ash to a temperature below the slagging point 4 and to admit enough secondary air to Compensate for any deciency in secondary air supplied through the burner.

In Figs. 10 and 11 is shown the application of the burner system to a reverberatory or heatingfurnace whereinthe fue] requirements might be too great for a single pulveri izer unit. In this case, a series of ndependent pulverizers 43, pipes 44 and burners45 are applied at 'the firing end of the furnace49, the` pul-verizers being located in a position below the furnace to allow for the vertical rise' of the fuel pipe 44: to the burner 45.

, n Figs.- 12 and'l3 is shown-the application 'of theburner system to a rotary kiln, Wherein thepulverizer 43, fuel pipe 44 and burner 45 are -located adjacent to and below the firing end of the kiln 50.

' An important feature of the invention, as

exemplified' in each 'of the forms` shown in the drawings, is that the mixing 'and expanu 'sion chamber for the powdered fueh'andair i extends vertically' and has its inlet at its lower end, thechamber expanding upwardly from said inlet. -As the' result of this Construction *any powdered fuelv which is not efi'ectively Suspended 'and carried forward in the cur-' rent, or in the turbulent body of air, will fall back toward the inlet andbe again subjected to the mixing action so that there is no possibility'of the powdered fuei collecting: in anv part of' the mixing chamber orclogging` the passages.

A'further important feature of the invention is that the air and powdered fuel enter the mixing chamber at relatively. high velocity; are then slowed downby'expansion of area in the mixing chamber, are again' givenl a high velocity on entering` the burner tubes and issue from the burner tubes and into'the combustion chamber at a relativelvlow ve1ocity so as to provide for most effective mixture while' at the same time providing for `efiicient combustion with a relative'ly short flame as above described.

' I claim:

i 1. `A burner for pulverized fuel comprising a mixing and expansion chamber provided with a`Ven'turi inlet, means for'sup'plving primary air and pulverized fuelat high ve1oc-' ity through said Ventuni inlet into said mixing and expansion ch amber in such manner as to produce a condition of turbulence, a piu-'I rality of burner tubes communicating with said mixingand expansion chamber and adaptedto receive a mxture of fuel and air therefrom, a secondary air inlet chamber surrounding said burner tubes and providedwithsecondary air outlet openin .qs surrounding the outlet openings of said burner tubes. for supplying secondary air directly adjacent the outlet openings of the burner tubes, closure means removably mounted within said. secondary air inlet chamber for controllng said secondary air outlet openings, means connected to said. closure means., and extending outside of the secondary air inlet chamber for Operating said closure meansand means for supplying said -secondary air to said-secondary air inlet chamber.

a 2. A burnercomprising amixingchamber provided with means forsupplying primary air andfuel thereto, a plurality of burner `tubes communicating withsaid mixing chamber, a secondary air supply chamber surrounding said pluralityof burner tubes and i having outletpassages surrounding the outer ends of the respective burner tubes, means for supplying secondary air'to said secondary air supply chamber, closure means for the respective burner tubes adapted to control communication of said burner tubes with the mixing 'chamber, said closure means being located within said mixing chamber and being provided with -means extending outside of said mixing chamber for operation of said closure T means jf'om the outside, closure means for the outlet passages of the secondary air chamber, said last named closure means beinglocated withins'ad secondary air chamber, and

-ber, said burner tubes being arranged in a plurality of rows at different levels, a secondary air supply'chamber surrounding said 'plurality'of burner tubes and having outlet passages surrounding the outlet ends of the respective'burner tubes, means for supplying secondary air to said secondary air chamber,`

and independently opera'ble' closure 'means for the respective rows'of burner tubes adaptedto regulate communication of certain of said burner tubes with the mixing chamber independently of other burner tubes.

' 4:. A burner comprising a mixing chamber provided withmeans for supplying primary 'air and fuel thereto; a plurality of'burner tubes communicating With said mixing'chamber, a secondaryair: supply chamber sur rounding said plurality of burner tubes and 'havingoutlet passages surrounding the outlet ends of the respective burner tubes, means for supplying secondary air to said secondary air chamber and closure means surrounding said burner tubes and sldably mounted thereron and cooperating with the outlet passages of thesecondary air chamber for controlling the supply of secondary air at said passages directly adjacent the outlet ends of the respective burner tubes.` i

5. A burner comprisng a'mixing chamber provided with means for supplying primary air and fuel thereto, a 'plurality 'of burner 'tubes communicating with isa-id mixing chamber, a secondary air supply chamber surrounding said'plurality ofburner tubes and having outlet passages surrounding the outlet ends of the respective burner tubes, means for supplying secondary-air to-said secondary JOO llO

air chamber, and closure means cooperating With the outlet passages of the secondary air chamber for controlling the supply of secondary air at the outlets of certain of the burner tubes independently of the supply of secondary air to other burner tubes, said closure means extending within said secondary air suppiy chamber adjacent said outlet passages and provided With Operating means extending outside of said -chamher for operation thereof from the outside.

6. A hurner for pulverized fuel comprising a` miXing and expansion chamber provided With a Ventur inlet, said chamber eX- tending from said Ventur inlet in the form of an expandng curved hood, a, burner body connected to the curved end of said expansion' chamber and comprising a pluralty of burner tubes communicatng With the expansion chamber and an auxiliary air chamber surrounding said burner tubes and provided With air outlet passages surrounding the outlets of said burner tubes and means for supplying auxlzry air under pressure to said auxiliary air chamber.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this Sth day of August 1928.

EDWARD J. FRANKLIN. 

